Stephen Hawking, rock star scientist and one of the brightest minds of the present has passed on. He was 76 years old. Considering that his doctor gave him two years to live, due to his disease, 50 years ago, this is actually cause for celebration.

Mr Hawking, Sir, you led an inspirational and epic life. You carved your name into the universe as we understand it and you will not be forgotten!

PS: We should start Hawking Day in celebration of his work and memory!

For all its retrofuturistic appeal, awesome gameplay, fantastic graphics, and stunning storytelling and in-game universe, Fallout is/was for a time very much the real world. At least as far as the aesthetics and sheer enthusiasm for the atomic bomb are concerned.

Case in point:

Miss Atomic Bomb.

Yes, this used to be a thing. The pageant was held in Las/New Vegas. Depending on the time and universe you prefer.

Several myth cycles have been featured here before, most often the Cthulhu Mythos, of course, but there have also been mentions of Norse Mythology and more recently the Epic of Gilgamesh. Now it is time for some mythology that is often, sadly, ignored by most:

African mythology.

The fact that African mythology is often ignored in cultural studies is tragic, since this continent offers an astoundingly divers and rich treassure of tales that, due to the nature of human origin, go back longer than anywhere else on earth.
Here is one great example of African mythology: The Mwindo Epic, a tale by the Nyanga people of the Congo:

Also of note is the way the epic is traditionally told (this is according to the Wikipedia, so accurracy may be flexible):

The Mwindo Epic varies from typical oral myths in that it is not only spoken, but performed among gatherings of locals. The myth is performed mostly by a single bard wielding a calabash made into a rattle and donning various bells and other forms of noisemakers. To tell the story properly the bard acts out all the parts and does not refrain from being very animated in his dances and acting. It is not unusual for the bard to throw in some narrative not native to the story detailing his own life and his own personal experiences. The narrator is usually accompanied by four younger men who play on a percussion stick.

Audience participation is important. The audience will often sing along with the narrator and the percussionists during the songs, and repeat certain lines of the story while the narrator pauses between sections. The bard is often shown appreciation by the audience with applause, yells, and gifts.

Have you ever wondered why we find goths everywhere? From the darkness of the lands beyond the borders of the Imperium Romanum, to medieval Cathedrals to literature, music and a thriving subculture that has outlasted many others, Goth and Goths are everywhere.

But what is the reason for that? Are there immortal Gothic overlords operating in the background? Guiding the development and course of humanity from ancient castles and hidden lairs? Is the greatest conspiracy in the history of mankind and lizardfolk alike at work here?

Sir John Vincent Hurt (CBE), who will be remembered by so many fondly and with great respect, has passed on aged 77. He was one of the greatest actors of his generation, as his BAFTA awards and nominations clearly show, and his work spanned six decades.

To the readers of this blog, he will most likely be known for his performaces in at least one of the following films or TV series:

Carrie Fisher, who will forever be remembered for personifying Princess Leia Organa has passed on at the age of 60 after suffering a heart attack. She will be missed by millions of devoted fans and leaves a gap in one of the most vibrant fandoms in the world which will very likely be impossible to fill.

Rest in the Force, Carrie. You will be forever in our minds and our hearts.

2016 does not relent and another legend leaves us.
It is with great sadness I report the passing of Joe Dever, whom many role playing enthusiasts will know as the principal author of the Lone Wolf series of Fighting Fantasy-style role playing books and the wolrd of Magnamund in which the adventures of Lone Wolf take place. He was only 60 years old.

To me personally, this is a very great loss, since he is one of the very few authors I consider myself to be a genuine fanboy of and the sum his work, especially the Drakkarim, has influenced many an adventure I ran as the game master/dungeon master.

I was lucky enough to have met Joe Dever at the RPC in Cologne in 2013 and dedicated a podcast to him which I am sharing here again.

It happens rarely I post something openly political, this time it has to be different. Because of recent events in the USA I had to voice my views on the matter and also point out a few things we can all enjoy together. Because we are still on the same planet together!

Anyway, please listen the podcast, share it and then enjoy the awesome music below (and get some food you can enjoy together with a neighbour with a different background than yours).